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Money 21 May 2020

"I am 25 years old. I studied at the Technical University in Eindhoven. To pay for my study I made a debt of 40000 Euro. I found a job with 2500 Euro net monthly income. I have a car which costs me monthly 500 Euro's. I can't afford to buy a house. I rent an apartment for 1200 Euro monthly. For insurance and fixed monthly costs I pay 250 Euro. I have 550 Euros for my foods an spendings. It is not easy to pay back my study debts. It is not easy to save money for purchasing a house. I know that my salary will grow little by little over the years. I am still concerned about my future. I had hoped life would be easier."

"I am 35 years old. I am married and we do have two beautiful children. We own a house. Although my husband has a reasonable income, I still need to take a job to pay for our debts. Our children attend school, spend a part of their time in daycare and other provisions. It is not cheap. To get everything done in time we need to have two cars. Actually we are quite well off. We however have a very busy life. I am not having time enough to enjoy my children and to see them growing up. I have limited time for my family. And there is really no time left for volunteering work in e.g. my church."

"I am 48 years old. I am a manager and year by year my responsibilities grow. I have a good wife, two sons and two daughters. The elder two are students. Their studies are pretty expensive and I like to pay for them. Soon the two younger ones also will start a study. I am really concerned about my finances. My bosses cast down high expectations on me. I would like to have a job with more time for my family and social life. Demands of my company and the expectations of my family are really a great pressure on my life. I wish life would be more simple and rewarding."

Dutch Income and Debts

Many people struggle with their finances:

• The average net income in the Netherlands is 30 to 40 Thousand Euro yearly.
• At average, a family in the Netherlands has 100000 Euro debts.
• The smallest car costs monthly 300 Euro.
• A first child may cost 10000 Euro yearly.
• A family with 2 children spends 28% of their budget for the children.
• Paying back a 20000 Euro loan for a study over a 15 years period costs yearly 1500 Euro.
• 50% of the young adults has worries about their finances.

Evil?

1 Tim 6:10 says: "The lust for money is the root of all evil." We do however need money to live. Is it evil?

An interesting question is: "Would a Christian community reduce the need and lust for money?"